WHO KNEW?

Interested in partaking of this opportunity? It could even bring you luck. To Chinese, bats are thought to bring good luck and happiness. They symbolize health, long life, prosperity, love of virtue and natural death.

If you’re looking for something different to do that’s also educational and generally not expensive, consider having a bat outing. Many of bat colonies in Texas are near some of best tourism areas – San Antonio, TX for instance, with Alamo, Fiesta Texas, Sea World, and RiverWalk, and since bats take off at dusk, you can add it to end of a day of sightseeing.

QUICKIE PRIMER Did you know a bat can hear footsteps of a walking insect?

Chances are you aren’t a bat expert, and if you take an adventure like this, you can wrap it around a really fascinating learning experience. For instance, did you know that:

·Bats are only mammals that can fly. ·One quarter of all mammal species are bats. ·Little brown bats can live over 32 years. ·A bat will eat half its weight in insects in a single night and doesn’t harm environment. They love mosquitoes, and crop pests such as cutworms, cucumber beetles, and corn borer moths. ·A bat uses a kind of natural sonar called “echolocation” to find insects which accounts for their weird faces. They send signals through their mouths or their noses, and they need those big ears to hear sonar. ·They fly out together in millions, but are able to navigate around sounds of one another.

This data is from National Park Service, and you can read more here: http://www.nps.gov/wica/bats.htm .

ECO-HELPFUL?

In addition to eating insects and not being harmful to environment, according to National Park Service, “bat droppings (guano) support entire ecosystems of unique organisms, including bacteria useful in detoxifying wastes, improving detergents and producing gasohol and antibiotics.”

RABIES

You’re far more likely to get it from a closer friend, an unvaccinated dog or cat. Chances of getting it from a bat are very small. 16 years of bat-watching at Congress Avenue Bridge have yielded no cases. In whole bat-rich area of Central Texas, no death from rabies from a bat has ever been recorded. Nationwide, only 10 people in past 30 years have gotten rabies from a bat. It’s also good to know that when a bat gets rabies, it doesn’t get aggressive, like other mammals. It just lies there and dies.

OTHER MYTHS

They love to fly into your hair! This and other myths are countered on Bat Conservation International (BCI) site: http://www.batcon.org/ . One of researchers at BCI tried to get a bat to stay in someone’s hair (wonder who volunteered?) and was unsuccessful.

PLACES FOR VIEWING IN TEXAS

Austin, Texas

One of most popular places is – you won’t believe this – Congress Avenue bridge in downtown Austin, TX. A colony of over 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats lives there from mid-march to early November, having their babies (pups) in early June. In mid-August, they’ll make their first hunting trip out with their mums.

Over 100,000 people come annually to see them fly out at dusk. For driving directions and map, go here: http://www.batcon.org/discover/congress_map_outoftowners.html .

You’ll drive through casino land, then, turning south from Mobile, enter beautiful Baldwin County, AL. To me, roads are exceptional and scenery peaceful and pastoral. I love that there are both trees and water, and farm country is very peaceful.

Dauphin Island, AL is a barrier island located about 30 miles from Mobile, AL. It’s 17 miles of white sand beaches with some of most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen, and is surrounded by Mobile Bay, Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi Sound.

How to get there? Here is a map: http://dauphinisland.cc/map.htm . You can get there by ferry or by car.

First colonized in 1600s, it was named “Dauphin Island” in 1707, after heir to French throne (dauphin = prince). At this time it was capitol of Louisiana territory, which you’ll recall at time was about two-thirds of United States.

In 1954, a bridge was built connecting Dauphin Island to mainland and Dauphin Island Park & Beach Board was created. The sand dunes which had covered walls of FORT GAINES were excavated, piers built and recreational amenities begun. Fort Gaines is now an historical site you’ll want to visit when you’re there.

Once you enter island, part of your adventure can be driving through Tupelo Gum Swamp. Here is a photo: http://chris.dauphinisland-info.com upelo.html .

THE AUDOBON BIRD SANCTUARY Dauphin Island was recently named one of top four locations for viewing spring migrations by Wild Bird Magazine, and one of ten most important sites for migrations globally. Located at Eastern end of Island, it includes 64 acres of maritime forest, marshes, and dunes, including a lake, a swamp and a beach.

THE DAUPHIN ISLAND SEA LAB The Sea Lab is also located on eastern end of island, spanning it north-south, and is a five-minute walk from Mobile Bay Ferry and Fort Gaines. An educational facility, it includes Estuarium / Public Aquarium (http://estuarium.disl.org/ ), with touch tanks (“Get hands-on experience with aquatic animals”), a living marsh walk, and a weather station. For map and driving instructions, go here: http://www.disl.org/location.html